Tell Me About Yourself!
My roots come from Panama, Jamaica, and the Philippine Islands. When I was little, my parents took me to see Alicia Keys and Beyonce in concert; it was an unforgettable experience that sparked my love for music and performing. I trained as a dancer at the Debbie Allen Dance Academy for several years and I’m a singer, songwriter, and a self-taught guitarist. As an aspiring artist, I attend the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music in NYC to learn about the business and develop my craft.
Were you a transitioner or a Big Chopper? What was your journey like?
I’ve often alternated between flat ironing my hair and wearing it natural. However, for the past four years, I focused on embracing my natural texture and kept my hair healthy by minimizing heat.
I learned to take better care of my curls after an ill-fated salon visit in 2007. The stylist damaged my hair and within a few months, I had about 10 inches taken off my length. My Filipina mom, discovered a community of hair bloggers on the web who inspired me to embrace my hair’s natural texture. I’m so grateful to Kimmaytube, HeyFranHey, Taren916, ShamelessMaya, and Naptural85.
Had you always embraced your texture?
Despite numerous discussions about individuality and self-expression with my parents, I found it challenging to embrace my natural texture, because I felt a lot of pressure to have long, straight hair like most kids at my school. As I got older, I discovered other women who proudly rocked their natural hair. I became more comfortable in my own skin and realized that my natural hair distinguished me – it gave me a lot more confidence!
Describe your hair (fine or coarse, thin or thick, highly porous, low, etc.”>
My strands are a mixed, but overall my hair is dense and has a lot of volume. It’s temperamental at times, depending on the weather, water, etc. It’s hard to retain moisture on my ends and like most people, there are areas that require a lot more maintenance and products than others.
What’s your favorite hairstyle? Where do you get hairstyle inspiration?
My favorite hairstyles are ones that help elongate my curls and minimize frizz so I enjoy protective styles like a twist out or a braid out the most because they still look natural but can last a lot longer than a simple wash n go.
What’s your current hair routine? How often do you wash, condition, and style? Favorite products! Deets!
My hair routine varies but here is what I generally do. I wash my hair approximately every five days, but in between washes, I usually refresh the curls by using a spray bottle of water, some aloe vera juice and some Hibiscus Curl and Styling Milk by SheaMoisture. Whenever possible, I also use Emily Jayne’s Curl Butter….this product is amazing for defining curls!
On wash days, I start by detangling my hair in four sections using coconut oil, some water and the SheaMoisture Deep Moisture Masque. I generally let it sit for about thirty minutes before getting in the shower.
I also wash my hair in those same four sections, so on weeks that I shampoo my hair (which is generally every other week”> I shampoo each section using Aubrey’s Island Naturals shampoo. I’m a loyal Aubrey Organics supporter and my favorite conditioners are the Island Naturals Restorative Conditioner and the White Camellia Conditioner. I let the conditioner sit for about 10-15 minutes and then I detangle each section again while the conditioner is sitting, right before I rinse out. Then, I wrap my hair in a t-shirt to bring out the curls and reduce frizz.
To style, I either apply SheaMoisture’s Yucca & Baobab Volumizing Conditioner or their Raw Shea Butter Restorative Conditioner, aloe vera juice and coconut oil on each of the four sections and wear it in a bun for several hours to stretch out the curls as a wash n go style OR do two simple braids that I wear until it dries. When I remove the braids, I just shake out my hair and flip it whichever way is most comfortable.
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